


School Run

by starspangledsprocket



Series: Me, You and Peter, Too [5]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: First Day of School, Fluff, M/M, Superfamily (Marvel), kid!Peter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-15
Updated: 2015-01-15
Packaged: 2018-03-07 17:32:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3177702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starspangledsprocket/pseuds/starspangledsprocket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Peter's first day of Pre-K. Steve and Tony take it about as well as expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	School Run

“Tony, I'm not sure if I can do this,” Steve admitted softly in the quiet of their bedroom that morning. “God, he's still so little -”

“It's Pre-K, Steve. He's not going off to war -”

“God, don't even _say_ things like that,” Steve grunted, rubbing a hand over his face.

“I'm just saying that it's three hours, max,” Tony soothed, rolling across the bed to tuck himself down Steve's side. “He could have gone last year but we decided against it; he has to mix with kids his own age sooner or later.”

“I know,” Steve swallowed. “I just... the world is so big and scary, and he's so little, and I... I guess I just don't want to let him go.”

“We... he doesn't have to go, if you really don't want him to,” Tony whispered, patting Steve's naked stomach, “but you have to tell the kid. He's been excited about this for _days -_ ”

“No, he can go,” Steve sighed. “Of course he can go. I guess I'm just whining.”

Tony made a consoling noise and leaned over to kiss the closest bit of Steve he could find – his pec, as it turned out.

“I'm scared for him, too, y'know,” he murmured, leaving his head resting against Steve's chest. “I'm paying Happy double his usual pay to sit outside the school the whole time just in case.”

“I'm surprised you didn't go with a full squad of security,” Steve huffed.

“I did think about it,” Tony hummed, smiling. “That'd be just as bad as not letting him go at all, though, wouldn't it? We've gotta let him be a normal little boy at some point.”

“I guess,” Steve nodded, finally seeming to accept the inevitable. “I don't have to be happy about it, though.”

“Oh, I'm not happy either,” Tony laughed. “But come on. No doubt he's already up, dressed, and sitting by the front door in wait. We should at least try to contain the madness while he's still little enough for us to overpower him.”

\---

“Papa! Papa? _Papa -”_

Peter, as it turned out, was exactly as excited as they had both been expecting. While Tony threw together some cereal for them all, he couldn't help but grin to himself at the harried expression on Steve's face as he tried to get their four year old to sit still long enough to put his school tie on.

They'd chosen a private school for him. It was the best school in the state, and Peter was sharp as a tack; he deserved only the best education, regardless of how young he still was. Honestly, as long as it wasn't a boarding school, Tony was happy to send him anywhere.

“Peter, honey, _please,”_ Steve sighed, grabbing Peter around the middle so he could wrestle the tie onto him. “I know you're excited, but work with me here.”

“An' we're gonna do colourin' an' story time an' -”

“All right, squirt, soup's on,” Tony called, placing a bowl of brightly coloured cereal in front of Peter. He immediately squirmed in Steve's grip to begin eating.

“I give up,” Steve announced, standing up and then reasserting Peter properly on his chair. “Get in trouble for not wearing your uniform – see if I care.”

“Now Steven, is that any way to talk to your son?” Tony tutted, barely hiding his grin as he poured some OJ into Peter's sippy cup. “It's probably better we wait until after breakfast anyway. We both know what a messy puppy he is.”

“M'not a puppy,” Peter mumbled around a mouthful of milk and sugar. Sure enough, his shirt was already covered in the stuff; they were going to have to teach him how to properly hold and use a spoon at some point soon.

“You are too a puppy,” Tony disagreed, stepping over a fully grown Jemima Puddle Duck as she got under his feet on the way to the fridge. “You're _my_ puppy.”

“Am not!” Peter giggled, spooning more cereal onto his chin.

“Are too,” Tony shrugged, flashing the little boy an unimpressed look when he caught him dropping bits of cereal onto the floor for Jemima to peck at. “We've been over this – do not feed the duck people food. Do you want her to get sick?”

“No,” Peter sighed, pouting.

“Then stop doing it,” Tony told him, rolling his eyes. “Now finish your cereal and stop stressing your Papa out. His old man heart can't take the strain.”

\---

A new shirt and two boo-boos later (Tony tripped over the damn duck and grazed his elbows), they were ready to go. Tony could physically see the tension in Steve's shoulders from a mile off, so he leaned up and tried to kiss his worries away as he pressed a camera into his hand.

“It'll be okay,” he murmured, pecking Steve's lips one more time. “Now take some pictures so we can go.”

Steve took the camera and nodded, though he still looked a little teary-eyed as he quickly snapped some photos of Peter in his little uniform.

“Are y'sad, Papa?” Peter asked as they piled into the car. Tony had wanted to take the limo – assert their dominance amongst the other parents early – but Steve thought it was better to be a little more discreet. Happy was already parked outside the front of the school; they didn't want to freak anyone out.

“No, baby, I'm not sad,” Steve replied, and Tony watched from the driver's seat while he strapped Peter into his seat. “I'm just going to miss you, is all. You're getting to be a big boy.”

“M'not,” Peter laughed, as though the concept was ridiculous. “M'a little boy!”

When Tony caught Steve's smile, he realised it was wistful. “Yeah, baby, of course. Papa's just being silly.”

“I keep trying to tell him you're our Peter Pan,” Tony grinned back at Peter. “You're gonna be our baby forever, right buddy?”

Peter nodded enthusiastically. “M'Peter Pan, Papa!”

“You sure are,” Steve smiled, more genuine now, and ruffled Peter's hair before withdrawing to close the door and take his own seat. Once he was buckled in, he leaned over to kiss Tony's cheek and then took a deep breath. “Let's get going, then, shall we?”

The drive over wasn't particularly exciting. Tony could see Peter bristling with excitement in the back seat and Steve wringing his hands nervously beside him, and though there was tension in the air, the moment really was special to him. A year ago he wouldn't even have believed he would find an amazing man like Steve to love and be loved by, never mind having a kid as well.

He had never been happier.

“Okay, bud, you ready?” he called into the back seat as they pulled up outside the school.

The Pre-K class was attached to a larger kindergarten and elementary school, but there was a separate entrance and playground fenced off for the little ones so they wouldn't get overwhelmed.  While Steve went to get Peter out of the car, Tony climbed out and glanced around, spotting Happy waving at him from further down the street. He threw a wave back and then turned to his boyfriend and son. The sight they made – Peter in his little uniform with a backpack as big as him, and holding Steve's hand – made Tony's heart swell in his chest, and he suddenly realised exactly what Steve had been worried about.

“God, you are just the cutest thing,” he shook his head a little disbelievingly, dropping down onto one knee so he could pull Peter into a hug. “I love you so much, kiddo.”

“Lub you, too,” was Peter's muffled reply, and he looked nonplussed when Tony pulled away again.

“Well, as long as you know,” he nodded, clearing his throat; it felt a little tight all of a sudden. “Let's go get you settled in, huh?”

Clambering back to his feet, Tony took Peter's other hand and, together, he and Steve led him over to the Pre-K entrance. Steve held the gate open for them, and Tony held the door. As soon as they stepped inside, the noise level ramped right up and they were assaulted by bright colours and excited kids everywhere.

“Well hi there!” came a woman's voice from nearby, and when Tony looked around he spotted who must have been the teacher coming towards them.

She looked barely out of high-school, never mind old enough to teach. God, Tony was old.

“I'm Miss Phillips,” she introduced herself, holding out her hand for both Tony and Steve to shake. Then, bending down, she smiled at Peter. “And you must be Peter! Hi there, sweetie.”

“Hullo,” Peter mumbled, suddenly shy in the face of a stranger. He gripped Tony's hand tighter and tried to hide himself behind Steve's leg.

“He can be a little shy,” Steve told her with a strained smile. “I can assure you he's very excited to be here, though.”

“Great!” Miss Phillips nodded. “Well, the coat room is just through there, so why don't we go hang your stuff up, huh, Peter?”

“Okay,” Peter nodded, a little bolder now he had scoped out the situation.

“All right, bud,” Tony sighed, crouching down again. “It looks like this is where we leave you. Have a great time, okay?”

Peter nodded his head and happily stepped into Tony's arms for a cuddle when he opened them. Tony squeezed him gently, feeling oddly bereft for some reason.

“Er, excuse me,” he tutted as Peter pulled away. “And where might my kiss be?”

Peter giggled naughtily, as though he was conspiring against him, and then leaned back in for a sloppy, heartfelt kiss. Tony immediately felt ten times better afterwards, and stood back up so Steve could take his turn.

“I love you, baby boy,” Steve whispered, crouching in Tony's place and cupping Peter's face. “We put a snack in your backpack, okay, and your favourite Iron Man toy is in there for luck, too, so take care of him. If you don't like it here, you can come home any time; just call us, and we'll be here. Uncle Happy is outside if you're in trouble, and we'll be back at lunch time to pick you up -”

“Steve, honey, he gets it,” Tony murmured, gripping Steve's shoulder supportively. “He'll be fine.”

“Okay,” Steve sighed, pulling Peter into a hug. “Papa loves you, baby.”

“Buh-bye,” Peter waved as Steve got back to his feet.

“See you in a couple of hours, squirt,” Tony smiled, ruffling the little boy's hair as Peter took his teacher's hand. “Be good, okay?”

With nothing else to do, Tony took Steve's hand and, waving, they left the school and headed back towards the car. Steve still looked a little teary-eyed as they got back into the car, but he wasn't outright crying.

“So,” Tony sighed, leaning back in his seat. “What do we do now?”

“I don't know,” Steve replied quietly.

“We... could have sex until it's time to pick him up?” Tony suggested innocently, and then grinned when Steve snorted with laughter.

“Is that your answer to everything?” Steve chuckled, and Tony shrugged.

“Well, it's either that or we get ourselves another baby -”

Tony froze, realising what he had just said. Glancing over at Steve, he saw him staring right back at him. There was a moment of silence, and then -

“That... may be a conversation for another day soon,” Steve whispered a little unevenly, and Tony breathed out rapidly. “Let's... yeah, let's go have sex.”

Without another word, Tony put the car into drive and pulled away from the curb. 

 


End file.
